Kerr Community Garden 2018 Information, Policies, Regulations, and Procedures Growing Gardens office phone: 303-443-9952 Website: http://www.growinggardens.org All Gardeners are responsible for being familiar with and obeying all garden rules. If you have any questions, please contact your Garden Leader first, then the Growing Gardens office. Garden Information Community Garden Program provides: Water (regulated by Boulder County and weather conditions) Tools & wheelbarrows on site. Gardeners are responsible for: Annual program participation fee 4 hours (or more) of community service assistance for the garden per plot per year A clearly worked, weeded and harvested plot all growing season Clear, weed-free pathways around their plot Seeds Organic Fertilizer Hoses Drip irrigation systems Hand tools Row covers Any additional plot needs Maintaining current address, phone numbers and email address with the Growing Gardens office Garden Leaders Garden Leaders are volunteers. The role of the Garden Leaders is to provide support for gardeners and to serve as liaisons between the gardeners and the Growing Gardens staff. They host garden orientation, assist with work days, weed reminders, events and communication. Garden Leaders are a great resource for questions and concerns and will try to provide information or coordinate help. Garden Leader s plots are marked with bright orange bicycle flags. Garden Policies Refunds/Revocation If a garden plot is voluntarily relinquished and notification given to the Growing Gardens office by April 15 th, the plot will be reassigned and half of the plot fee and the full water fee will be refunded. No refunds will be given after this date. Growing Gardens has the right to revoke plots for any reason, including failure to comply with the stated rules. No refunds will be issued for plots that have been revoked. Plot Assignment Garden plots are not assignable to others. All community garden program participants require registration through Growing Gardens.
Plot Neglect/Abandonment Plots must be obviously worked and weed control begun by May 1 st, 2016, weather permitting. Any abandoned or unworked plots will be reassigned and no refund given. If you are unable to keep or maintain your plot you must contact the Growing Gardens office or your Garden Leader immediately. Temporary help will be sought or your plot will be reassigned permanently, depending on the circumstances. Community Service Four hours of Community Service time (per plot per year) must be given to participate in the Community Garden Program. This is in addition to maintenance of your plot and pathways. This will be tracked closely. Failure to perform or report service hours will result in an invoice of $20/unrecorded hour. Failure to pay this bill by the garden due date will mean a gardener is ineligible to renew their garden plot. There are many tasks needing completion and we are open to unique and creative suggestions. Specific garden work days will be scheduled throughout the season. For other events and/or activities, please coordinate with your Garden Leader. Community service hours must be logged online using the link on the Growing Gardens website. If you do not have access to the internet, please call the Growing Gardens office to report the following: your name, plot number, task(s) completed, date completed, and number of hours completed. The deadline to complete and report community service hours is November 15 th. Payment It is each gardener s responsibility to pay the community garden plot fee within a month of registration. Failure to pay the community garden plot fee within a month results in a late fee of $20.00. Plots that have not been paid for within 6 weeks of registration will be revoked and reassigned. If you cannot pay your plot fee in full within 6 weeks of registration, please contact Growing Gardens if you would like to develop a payment plan. Garden Work Days For your convenience, specific days throughout the season will be designated as community service work days. Work days will be announced in emails and in each monthly newsletter. Garden Leaders will supervise these days. Trash Please pack out all trash from the community garden site. Sharing Surplus Most gardens have a food donation program that is organized by a gardener or the garden leader. Please note that it is not permitted to sell excess produce from Community Garden plots. Maintenance Regulations Composting Compost containers are available at each of the gardens for all of your compostable garden waste. They are picked up on a weekly basis by Western Disposal and taken to their site for processing. Please do not overfill compost bins. If bins are full, please contact Growing Gardens and wait until bins have been emptied to add any compostable debris. Please do not leave piles of debris in front of the compost bins. The bins cannot be emptied if there is debris in front of them. If bins are full you can leave compost piles in your plot until the bin is emptied. All individual garden compost piles and bins must abide by the following regulations. 1. All compost must be contained in a bin. This regulation will prevent open piles from providing food for rodents. 2. Bins must be lined on all sides with ¼ inch strong wire hardware mesh. This regulation will prevent rodents from chewing their way into compost through plastic bins. 3. Bins must have a lid. Rodents will not be able to climb into compost systems if there is a lid preventing their access.
4. Bins must have a minimum of ¼ inch mesh hardware wire lining the bottom and bent 1 foot up the sides to prevent rodents and other wildlife from burrowing into compost underground. 5. Bins with openings larger than ¼ inch must be lined with ¼ inch mesh hardware wire. This regulation will prevent wildlife from crawling into the bin through holes in the structure. 6. The following items are not allowed in garden compost bins: meats, fish oily foods, milk products, and manures. Rodents are attracted to these items. Any compost that is not contained in bins following the above regulations, or gardeners that place the items listed above in their compost will receive a compost regulation reminder. If the compost bin or pile is not removed or reconstructed within 14 days of the reminder the garden plot will be revoked and reassigned to another gardener. Manure Application It is the responsibility of each gardener to arrange delivery of manure for his or her plot. Manure must be aged and needs to be immediately watered down and thoroughly worked into the soil within forty-eight hours of delivery. Plot Maintenance Plots must be reasonably maintained. Reasonably maintained means weeds under control and plants are regularly cared for, pruned, watered and harvested. Plants must not exceed plot boundaries. By November 15 th, 2016 all non-wintering plants inside of the garden plot must be removed as well as stakes, walls of water, row covers, etc. You may not store black plastic bags of leaves/organic matter over the winter. No furniture, trash or items other than garden related are allowed in the garden. (A chair or bench is acceptable). Path Maintenance It is each gardener s responsibility to keep their paths clear and weed-free (the half of the path closest to their plot). Pathways around each plot are to be 4 feet wide. Paths must be clear, weed-free and well mulched. Community Gardens with gravel pathways will need to be regularly weeded. Putting mulch or planting clover in gravel pathways in not permitted as an acceptable means of weed control. Weeding after a rain or snow storm really works! Mechanized Equipment No person shall operate mechanized equipment including, without limitation, lawn mowers, roto-tillers, garden tractors, and motorized weed trimmers, between the hours of 8pm and 8am Monday through Friday, and between the hours of 8pm and 10am Saturday and Sunday. Weeds There are many weeds in the community gardens. Weeds compete with other plants in your garden and can quickly become invasive. If weeds are left to go to seed they will affect your neighbor s gardens as well. If your Garden Leader sees too many weeds in your garden or your plot looks unworked you will receive an email or written letter from Growing Gardens. If there is no communication and resolution after 1 week, your plot will be revoked and made available to others. There is no refund of fees for revoked plots. Organic Only Herbicides, insecticides and fertilizers made from synthetic chemicals are NOT permitted. Fences Fencing within the Kerr Community Garden is not allowed. Accessory Garden Structures No structure in a garden plot shall exceed 6 ft and should not exceed a footprint of 3 by 3 (excluding fences around the border of the plot). All garden structures should be contained within the plot and shall not shade the neighboring garden plots.
Water & Hoses Use of water should always be controlled. Drip systems and timers are required. All gardeners must purchase and install a drip irrigation system for their garden plot by June 15 th, 2015. Drip irrigation can be purchased locally. Drip irrigation is watering at a slow rate (or drip) right at the roots of plants. Root irrigation is a good water conservation choice because it provides a deeper level of watering than surface watering, which is prone to wastage due to evaporation and runoff. Check drip irrigation systems for leaks on a regular basis. Prior to May 15th and after September 15th timers and drip must be detached from the spigot overnight due to the dangers of frost. During these times, gardeners may use sprinklers or water by hand. Gardeners cannot use sprinkler irrigation between the hours of 10:00am and 6:00 pm. Gardeners may not leave garden hoses in use unattended unless using a drip irrigation system. Drip irrigation watering can be done at any time. Not Allowed in the Gardens Marijuana cultivation, bee hives, tires, pressure treated wood, carpet, barbed wire, smoking, music (use headphones please), selling produce, fruit trees, unleashed pets and unsupervised children. Tools Basic tools and wheelbarrows are kept on site at the gardens for everyone s use. Please place any tools you use back in the shed and lock everything up at night. The Community Garden Program is not responsible for any personal tools, etc. Please contact the Growing Gardens office for the tool shed code. Responsible community tool use: As respectful gardeners, we cherish our community tools, we use them carefully, we leave them better than before we used them, and we put them away for safe keeping before we leave the garden. Please use each tool for its intended purpose Clean tools when you are finished using them Put each tool in its proper storage slot before you leave If needed, ask other gardeners about the correct use of tools If you see a tool being misused, kindly offer assistance If a tool needs repair or attention, please let your garden leader know Conduct Regulations No community gardener shall: 1. Steal, damage, or misuse any Growing Gardens property 2. Smoke in the Community Garden boundaries or within fifteen feet of any entry into the gardens. No person may chew tobacco or products containing tobacco in the gardens. a. Tobacco carries the Tobacco Mosaic Virus which is harmful to plants. 3. Commit harassment of any person including a. Lays a hand upon, shoves, strikes, or threatens another gardener, staff or community member b. Engages in obscene gestures, objectionable demonstrations c. Uses foul language (swearing) or abusive verbal attack upon any fellow gardener 4. Commit indecent exposure 5. Bring a weapon into the gardens. Legal knives are not weapons. This prohibition does not apply to police officers carrying service weapons in accordance with their department s policies. 6. Possess or sell illegal drugs in or around the gardens. 7. Fail to leave any portion of the gardens immediately upon being told by a Growing Gardens employee or landowner or land manager. 8. Disturb other gardeners or employees so as to substantially interfere with their use of the gardens or constitute a general nuisance. Disturbances may arise from inappropriate use of personal equipment include but not limited to: cellular phones, computers, PDA s, radios, music players, MP3 players, and
conservations which contain any obviously offensive utterance, gesture, or display, which tends to incite an immediate breach of peace. 9. Solicit donations of money or anything of value, or sell or take orders for anything of value in any garden with exception of persons who have entered the gardens in order to conduct a commercial transaction within the garden. 10. Enter the garden while that person s abilities are impaired to the slightest degree by alcoholic beverages or illegal drugs or remain in the garden in such a state of impairment. Plot Revoking, Probation, Suspension, and Termination Procedures Growing Gardens has the right to revoke a plot for any reason, including failure to comply with stated regulations. No refunds will be issued for plots that have been revoked or gardeners who have been terminated from participating in Growing Garden s Community Garden Program. Growing Gardens staff, property landowners, or property managers may intervene to prohibit any activity or behavior that appears to present an immediate danger to staff, gardeners, or any other person. Growing Gardens will alert the landowner or land manager of any updates regarding a gardener who violates the Conduct Regulations. Growing Gardens will keep an electronic and hard copy of all Community Garden Regulation violations and communications for documentation. Plot Revoking Procedure The Plot Revoking Procedures for noncompliance of Plot Maintenance Regulations 1. Garden Reminder a. Definition A gardener whose plot is not in compliance with the Plot Maintenance Regulations will receive a Garden Reminder email or letter (when an email address is not available). The Garden Reminder specifies the Plot Maintenance Regulation(s) that is currently violated in the gardener s plot. b. Notification Growing Gardens staff will be notified by the garden leader of any plots that are not in compliance with the Plot Maintenance Regulations. A gardener receives the Garden Reminder from Growing Gardens via (a) an email address supplied by the gardener when he or she registered for the plot or (b) a letter sent to the address supplied by the gardener when he or she registered for the plot. c. Steps to Remedy the violation Each Garden Reminder specifies the Plot Maintenance Regulation(s) in violation that must be brought into compliance within seven days of the sent date. The garden leader is responsible for checking the plot seven days after the Garden Reminder and informing Growing Gardens Operation Coordinator of the plot s compliance with the Plot Maintenance Regulation(s) specified in the Garden Reminder. If a gardener is not able to remedy the violation prior to the deadline the gardener must contact Growing Gardens Operation Coordinator before the deadline to request an extension. All cases will be reviewed individually, with Growing Gardens staff making the final decision regarding extensions. Any gardener who complies with the Garden Reminder within the seven-day period or a deadline approved by Growing Gardens will have no further penalization. If the plot is not in compliance by the deadline and no extension was granted then it is assumed the gardener has forfeited their plot and Growing Gardens will send a Plot Revoking Notification (see 2). d. Dispute of Violation A gardener who feels they unrightfully received the Garden Reminder can contact Growing Gardens Operation Coordinator with visual evidence that their plot is in compliance with the Plot Maintenance Regulations. All cases will be reviewed individually, with Growing Gardens staff making the final decision regarding Garden Reminders.
2. Plot Revocation a. Definition A plot that is not in compliance with the Plot Maintenance Regulations seven or more days after a Garden Reminder was sent will be revoked and reassigned to someone on the wait list. Seven days after the Plot Revocation notification was sent Growing Gardens Operations Coordinator will reassign the plot to a gardener(s) on the waitlist. b. Notification A Plot Revocation email and letter will be sent to the gardener and will state that the gardener has seven days to remove all personal contents from the garden plot. c. All items that remain in the plot after seven days become property of Growing Gardens and are disposed, donated, or left for the new gardener. d. Dispute of Violation If a gardener feels their plot was unrightfully revoked they can contact Growing Gardens Operation Coordinator and provide visual evidence that he or she was in compliance with the Plot Maintenance Regulations within seven days of being sent a Garden Reminder. All cases will be reviewed individually, with Growing Gardens staff making the final decision regarding the plot being revoked. Probation, Suspension, and Termination Procedures Probation, Suspension, and Termination regarding noncompliance with the Conduct Regulation(s). 1. Probation a. Definition Any gardener who violates a Conduct Regulation can be placed on probation. During this time the gardener is allowed to continue gardening for the remainder of the gardening season with the expectation that he or she will comply with the Conduct Regulations and have discontinued immediately their specific conduct violation. Probation is lifted at the beginning of the following garden season. If the gardener violates their probation before it expires, he or she will be immediately suspended for the duration of the gardening season, and their plot will be reassigned to another gardener. They are welcome to resubmit their name for community garden program participation for the following season b. Notification A gardener placed under probation will be notified by Growing Gardens immediately if Growing Gardens staff is present in the garden at the time of the violation and/or via (a) an email address supplied by the gardener when he or she registered for the plot, (b) a warning posted on the garden plot, and (c) a phone call to the phone number supplied by the gardener when they registered. Growing Gardens staff will alert the garden leader(s), landowner, and land managers of the violation and the actions being taken by Growing Gardens. c. Steps to Remedy the violation A gardener on probation can continue to garden in their plot as long as he or she complies with all Conduct Regulations. The gardener s probation will end at the beginning of the following garden season assuming the gardener complied with the Conduct Regulations for the remainder of the season. If the gardener violated the Conduct Regulations he or she will be suspended from the gardens. d. Dispute of Violation Gardeners who believe they have been unfairly placed on probation must provide concrete visual evidence and eye witness accounts be reviewed by Growing Gardens staff. All cases will be reviewed individually, with Growing Gardens staff making the final decision regarding probation. 1. Suspension a. Definition Any gardener who violates their probation or violates Conduct Regulation(s) 1, 3, 4, or 5 will be suspended from Growing Gardens Community Garden Program. A suspended gardener cannot participate in the Community Garden Program for the remainder of the gardening season and will not receive a plot refund. Their garden plot will be reassigned to another gardener from the wait list. If the gardener does not comply with the suspension, he or
she will be terminated from Growing Gardens Community Garden Program and not be allowed to apply for participation in the Community Garden Program in the future. b. Notification Suspended gardeners will be notified by Growing Gardens Operation Coordinator or Program Coordinator in person and immediately if staff is present at the time of the violation and /or via (a) an email address supplied by the gardener when he or she registered for the plot or (b) a warning posted on the garden plot, and (a phone call to the phone number supplied upon registration. Growing Gardens staff will alert the garden leader(s), landowner, and land managers of the violation and the actions being taken by Growing Gardens. c. Steps to Remedy the Situation A suspended gardener has the opportunity to clear his or her plot and collect their belongings within seven days of suspension. After seven days any items that remain in the plot become property of Growing Gardens/ the Community Garden and will be disposed of or donated and the plot reassigned. The gardener is eligible to rejoin the garden program in the following season. d. Dispute of Violation If a gardener believes they were unfairly suspended he or she must present visual evidence and eye witness accounts to Growing Gardens. All cases will be reviewed individually, with Growing Gardens staff making the final decision regarding suspension. 2. Termination a. Definition A gardener who does not comply with his or her suspension or if Growing Gardens staff determines that the community gardener has created a public safety hazard, then Growing Gardens may immediately terminate the gardener from the Growing Gardens Community Garden Program to ensure the safe operation of the garden. Terminated Gardeners will not be allowed to reapply for participation in the Community Garden Program. b. Notification The gardener will notified of termination by Growing Gardens in person and /or via (a) an email address supplied by the gardener when he or she registered for the plot or (b) a warning posted on the garden plot, and (c) a written letter of termination. Growing Gardens staff will alert the garden leader(s), landowner, and land managers of the violation and the actions being taken by Growing Gardens. e. Steps to Remedy the Situation A gardener who is terminated after being placed on probation or suspension has had an opportunity to remedy the situation. Any other violator will not be given the opportunity to remedy and the gardener must immediately remove his or her personal items from the gardens. Terminated gardeners will not be allowed to return to the gardens. All items that remain in the plot after seven days become property of Growing Gardens/ the Community Gardens and are either disposed, donated, or reassigned to a new gardener. Seven days after the termination notification was sent Growing Gardens Operations Coordinator will reassign the plot to a gardener(s) on the waitlist. c. Dispute of Violation If a gardener believes they were unfairly terminated from the Community Garden Program he or she must present visual evidence and eye witness accounts to Growing Gardens for review. All cases will be reviewed individually, with Growing Gardens staff making the final decision regarding termination.